What Does Your Soul Crave?
I read a book called Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus. These are my thoughts (McManus’ quotes are in italics).
It’s hard to define the things inside my heart. I wonder if I’m the only one who feels what I feel and wants what I want. Am I the same as others in this mass of humanity, or am I alone in my experiences?
Maybe you sometimes feel the same way.
In high school, I had a vague notion that when I graduated I would take off for a couple days, go somewhere in the wild, set up a tent, and spend three days with myself. My hope was that at the end of the time, with nothing but myself and some food, I would have a better idea of who I am and what I want, and where to head with my life.
It’s six years later, and I would still like a getaway like that. Even to myself, I’m a mystery.
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Some themes in life are reoccurring. In many different ways, different places and different voices, human desires are articulated.
- Intimacy
- Destiny
- Meaning
It seems that these are integral parts of the human make-up, but why? What makes us long for these things?
Given all the problems love can create, why do we keep longing for it? How many thousands of years will it take for us to learn? How many Romeos and Juliets need to lie dead on the floor before we’re willing to give up this perverse addiction? Oh, I know they weren’t real, but then again, is love? If evolution is our preferred understanding of the human story, why can’t we evolve ourselves out of this primal Achilles’ heel we know as love? And don’t give me this thing about the propagation of the species. Love isn’t necessary for reproduction – just sex is. All you need is attraction, not emotion…If intimacy is only about attraction, we could just keep lust and dispense with love. But it just won’t go away. – Erwin McManus
When I first read this, I stopped and went through it again. And then a third time. Yeah. Why do we crave love? Why do I want to be known so deeply, to know someone and trust them and be trustworthy?
It is not enough for me to be kind of cool, or for me to have had a moment or two of meaningful connection. I want it to go on. I stress over relational disharmony, I crave connection – not just a physical connection, but a deep emotional bond of being known and being wanted.
All of us long to become something more than we are. We are driven to achieve, moved to accomplish, fueled by ambition. It burns hotter in some than in others, but it is within all of us. We’re all searching for our unique purpose, our divine destiny, or simply a sense of significance or some measure of success…all of us are united in our desperate attempt to make a future for ourselves. We all desperately want to achieve something, to accomplish something; we just don’t know what. Worse than that, we don’t even understand why. Yet that doesn’t stop us from searching. – Erwin McManus
It’s true, I think to myself. I do want to achieve. I don’t know what exactly, but something. I don’t want to sit here in anonymity for the rest of my life. But why? I could get by, I’m sure. Why wouldn’t that be enough?
Have you ever thought about this? What drives us to do, to accomplish? Why do we want to make the world a better place – for myself at least, if not for others? Where does our creative urge come from, and why are we not content to be spoon-fed for the rest of our lives?
This may be a jump for some, but Erwin and I both think it has to do with God. Not God who sits in a palace and points his lightning-trident at anyone he catches doing wrong, but God who loves us and created us with purpose and creativity. God who created us with the hope that we would do good and not harm.
Continue reading: Part 2: What’s God got to do with it?
7 Responses to “What Does Your Soul Crave?”
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I think our desire to create something lasting is a sort of analogue of our need to reproduce. Not everyone can have kids–not everyone LIKES kids–but we still have this drive to create something that will last when we’re gone. It’s not entirely rational, but hey, it’s worked. As for love, apes are social animals. We survive better when we’re part of a group, so people who love each other have an advantage.
As I’ve said before, I wasn’t impressed with McManus. The questions he asks are so basic, and he answers them all with God, when they’ve been answered better, more in-depth, and more satisfactorily for hundreds of years now.
So Cat, they have been answered better? I would surley like to hear them. What are they?
I’m gonna have to agree with Cat….His questions are very basic ..(that’s the beauty of it)..and the reason he answers them all with Gd is, Gd is the answer to them all..So perfectly simple we miss it.
Just another comment. Our ability to reproduce is certainly one way leave something lasting but I would hope you would agree that it’s not the only one. Our ability to touch peoples lives in a meanful way, that helps them to become a better person, I think would also qualify as something lasting. If we can encourage people, help them through thier struggles, show compassion in words and deeds. Contribute to making this world a better place, which could take on many forms, these things can leave many significant impressions on our life here. And ultimately showing people what you said ReGenR8 can be our greatest contribution.
Im so sorry! maybe i didn’t make myself clear. When i said that i agreed with Cat, i was not talking about having children, I was agreeing that the message of our basic, God-given longings is a simple one to understand. I dont consider simplicity to be a bad thing. I would never suggest that people have children just to leave something lasting on the planet.
and btw…the nick ReGenR8 was referring to a spiritual condition, as in re-born. I shall re-think using this nick in the future …:-P
You lost me on that last “God” sentence (I’m a proud atheist), but other than that I agree.
Kitty, thanks for your comments. When you say you are a “proud atheist”, what about this particular stance causes you pride? Most would define atheism as being non-religious. So what about religion do you especially dislike? What have your experiences with “organized religion” been like?
Did you happen to check out the follow-up article, “Part 2: What’s God got to do with it?” It continues the thought at the end of this article, and without it, the ending here may indeed seem a bit abrupt.